We routinely reach 550+ unhoused people in Berkeley every day – that’s half of the city’s total unhoused population. Since 1992, We are reversing homelessness with every step we take, and doing it the Dorothy Day Way.
Our model
We provide shelter, services and resources to end homelessness in our community.
OUR IMPACT IN NUMBERS
54+
PEOPLE HOUSED A YEAR
22,000
DROP-IN CENTER VISITS A YEAR
800+
DONORS
975,000
VISITS FOR SERVICES
205,000
SHOWERS TAKEN
55+
STAFF
2,125 +
PEOPLE SHELTERED
16,000+
OUTREACH INTERACTIONS
500+
VOLUNTEERS
365
DAYS OPEN A YEAR
112,500+
LOADS OF LAUDRY DONE
35
PETS SHELTERED A YEAR
10,000+
VOLUNTEER HRS A YEAR
705+
MEALS SERVED PER DAY
50+
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
We know the impact we leave on the lives of people we serve is immeasurable.
see our deatiled impact report
this is us
hear the stories of people we’ve housed
watch dorothy’s way
our team
These are the people that make it all possible.
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Smart Warehouse Retrofit
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Municipal Water Monitoring
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Renewable Microgrid Design
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Retail Demand Forecasting
our team’s impact in the community
getting people housed
Angelina shares the steps it takes to move people from homelessness into permanent housing.
sourcing food & preparing meals
Learn about Phil’s role as food service manager and how he keeps the people of Berkeley fed.
building a team of volunteers
Hear Tami talk about creating a dedicated volunteer core to support our mission.
our board
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Smart Warehouse Retrofit
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Municipal Water Monitoring
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Renewable Microgrid Design
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Retail Demand Forecasting
meet some of our board members
meet dan
Hear Dan talk about his 20+ years of Dorothy Day House service and why he’s know as “Mr. Friday.”
meet jay
Learn why Jay marks his Board service “one burn scar” and “one pair of shoes” at a time.
meet sarah
Find out how Sarah stays close to our mission and why she loves hearing about people’s pets during outreach visits.
OUR PARTNERS
we work together to ensure the people we serve are supported.
City of Berkeley
County of Alameda
Women’s Day Drop-In
Homeless Action Center
Bay Area Women Against Rape
East Bay Community Law Center
Building Opportunity
for Self-Sufficiency
Bay Area Community Services
Berkeley Neighborhood Services
Trader Joe's
Kaiser Permanente
Target
Safeway
BevMo
Copia
Swords to Plowshares
Insight Housing
Options Recovery Services
Downtown Streets Team
Berkeley Free Clinic
Suitcase Clinic
Dignity on Wheels
Berkeley Food Network
Rebuilding Together East Bay Network
Samuel Merritt University
Eviction Defense Center
Third Culture Bakery
Monterey Market
Happy Donuts
Pizzeria Da Laura
Daily Bread
Boichik Bagels
Berkeley Mental Health
Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless
Lifelong Medical Center
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley Drop-In Center
Berkeley Public Library
Alameda County
Community Food Bank
People’s Place
Berkeley NEED
Berkeley Senior Center
Trust Health Center
Center for Independent Living
Pasta Shop
Replate
our origins
We were founded 34+ years ago in the spirit of Dorothy Day, a Brooklyn-born journalist and social activist. She was a leading voice in the human rights, labor, and antiwar movements of the 1920s through the Vietnam era. Dorothy spent her entire life focused on the poor and homeless — providing aid and taking direct action on behalf of those living in poverty.
Dorothy co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement and created “Hospitality House,” the first shelter model providing both food and clothing to those in need in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Her model quickly spread to other cities throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
“It is people who are important, not the masses.”
― Dorothy Day
